DESIGN MANAGEMENT: APPLICATION OF THE

CDS MODEL FOR BUSINESS DIAGNOSTICS AND

THE CREATION OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
EUGENIO ANDRÉS DÍAZ MERINO, GISELLE SCHMIDT
ALVES DÍAZ MERINO and ADRIANO WAGNER

SUMMARY

This paper reports a study on a business analysis and diag-
nostic tool known as CDS Model (competitiveness-differentia-
tion-sustainability), which was developed using design manage-
ment concepts. The objective was to identify and evaluate indica-
tors in a company that sells coffee and baked goods, employing
the mentioned tool to perform a situational diagnostic. The study
is characterized as applied research, exploratory research and
case study. Data were collected through interviews as well as
through systematic and asystematic observation. The study iden-
tified strengths and weaknesses in the company, leading to the
construction of a portfolio of strategic and operational initiatives
to improve competitiveness, differentiation and sustainability.

arket uncertainty, com-
petitor activity and
sudden innovation are
aspects that impact the management and
operation of companies. In order to sur-
vive and flourish in the market, compa-
nies must pay attention to changes and
offer products and services that provide
desirable benefits to customers. They
must also be aware of and seize opportu-
nities and compete against external influ-
ences. According to Charan (2013), man-
agers should maintain harmony between
the internal and external environments so
that they can detect not only unstoppable
trends, but small decisive events as well.
It follows, therefore, that
old strategies cannot be relied on forever
and that a company must be aggressive
when developing current and new busi-
nesses and markets. Cohesive strategies
are necessary, and they result from man-
agement practices that ensure effective-
ness in market activities, including the
management of resources and processes
in all areas of the organizational modus
operandi, whether tactical or operational
(Cavalcanti, 2003; Porter, 2009).
Cohesive results are a di-
rect consequence of the productive use of
the various inputs deployed by companies
to create competitive advantage (Porter,
1989), which include rare, hardto-imitate,
irreplaceable and versatile resources and
capabilities. According to Floriani et al.
(2009), a business acquires organizational
competence upon developing a set of re-
sources and capacities that add value to
its strategy in terms of uniqueness rather
than imitation.
Due to the constant de-
mand for updated and innovative products
and services, design management should
be considered a major factor in fostering
the development of business strategies.
Design management involves a set of ac-
tivities that require multiple knowledge
bases and permanent interaction with an

KEYWORDS / CDS Model / Competitive Advantage / Design Management

Received: 11/15/2015. Modified: 12/01/2016. Accepted: 12/05/2016.

Eugenio Andrés Díaz Merino. B.S. in Industrial Design, Universidade Federal do Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. Master and Doctor in Production Engineering, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil. Researcher
and Professor, UFSC, Brazil.
Giselle Schmidt Alves Díaz Merino. B.S. in Design, M.S. in Industrial Design and Ph.D. in
Production Engineering, UFSC, Brazil. Researcher and Professor, UFSC, Brazil.
Adriano Wagner. B.A. in Business Administration, Universidade Regional do Noroeste do
Estado do RS, Brazil. M.S. in Production Engineering, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil. Doctoral student in Production
Engineering, UFSC, Brazil. Endereço: NGD/EGR/CCE - Sala 113 Bloco A, Campus Reitor João David Ferreira Lima, Caixa Postal
476. Bairro Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, CEP: 88040-970. Brasil. e-mail: adrianowagner76@yahoo.com.br

80 0378-1844/14/07/468-08 $ 3.00/0 FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2

ever-changing consumer market, being
characterized as the identification of
paths by which design can add strategic
value to companies. It refers to the stra-
tegic channeling of activities within a
company by integrating design into the
operational, tactical and strategic levels
(Mozota, 2002).
Managers should be fo-
cused on attaining sustainable competitive
advantages and should act in a context
of temporary competitive advantage
(Mcgrath, 2013). Through design manage-
ment, companies can track changes in
consumer habits and identify new trends,
attempt to block entry to competitors,
build greater flexibility and explore op-
portunities in emerging businesses
(Gimeno, 2000). Given that it draws from
the same ingenuity and rigor used to dis-
cover innovative solutions, design man-
agement is a platform for business inno-
vation and growth, fostering strategies
and actions in favor of organizational sus-
tainability and good performance levels
by facilitating deliberation about how to
concentrate effort and activate a new vi-
sion (Fraser, 2012).
Good performance lev-
els are the result of well-designed
guidelines practiced at all organizational
levels. Thus, organized references about
the environment are required and have
to be “based on information about mar-
kets, customers and noncustomers;
about technology in one’s own industry
and others; about worldwide finance;
and about the changing world economy”
(Drucker, 2009: 347).
Based on these consid-
erations, the research problem that guid-
ed this study was: How can design man-
agement help define strategies and ac-
tions to improve a company’s perfor-
mance levels? Thus, this paper presents
the results of research from the sphere
of design management. The CDS (com-
petitiveness-differentiation-sustainability)
model, which is a tool for business diag-
nostics and analysis developed by re-
searchers at the Management Design
Center, Universidade Federal de of Santa
Catarina, Brazil, was applied in order to
identify and evaluate management indi-
cators and operations in a retail enter-
prise. Based on the findings, a set of ac-
tions was proposed to improve perfor-
mance levels.
This research report is
the result of applied research, exploratory
research and case study, and it involved
direct contact with the studied enterprise.
The results indicate that the use of the
CDS Model streamlines organizational
management, enhances the decision-mak-
ing process and aligns strategic and
FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2
operational actions with the expectations
of the consumer market and the organiza-
tional goals.
Design Management
Given that constant in-
novations have been modifying product
technologies, services and production,
and are driving changes in the strategies
and operations of organizations, design
must assume a strategic role as it draws
attention to processes, systems and orga-
nizations, rather than merely household
products (Neumeier, 2010a). This author
stressed that companies need to be fast,
flexible, innovative and agile. Agility is
an unpredictable characteristic that
emerges when a company has the appro-
priate skills and speed required to multi-
ply competences.
Liedtka (2007) points
out that differentiated and promising ap-
proaches to management are emerging
from the universe of design; more partici-
pative processes that focus on the theme
than the schedule, and prefer to learn
from, rather than avoid, conflict.
Neumeier (2010b) emphasizes that de-
sign-based thinking is useful in business
management because it seeks to identify
potential future paths and establish con-
nections with clients, as well as to simpli-
fy the business model. This shows that
design is the new central capacity of in-
novative organizations.
Review of the literature
indicates that certain elements of design
contribute to the contextual and conceptu-
al basis of design management. Joseph
(2000) and Mozota (2002) claim that de-
sign management has been following the
evolution of management, which has
shifted focus from Taylor’s model to or-
ganizations that are more intelligent, flex-
ible and supportive of risky decision-mak-
ing, autonomy and initiative. These orga-
nizations are more user-centered and en-
courage change in organizational culture.
The function of design
management is, according to Wolf (1998:
18), to “plan and coordinate strategies
that correspond to the goals and values of
the company, motivate employees and
monitor their work, ensuring that they
comply with objectives, deadlines and
planned costs”. Martins and Merino
(2011) explain that design management is
about integrating technological, social,
economic and biological needs, the psy-
chological effects of materials, shapes,
colors, volume and space, providing the
perception of the whole and of the de-
tails, of the short term and the long term.
The scope of design
management is fulfilled to the degree that
it provides the tools for integrating the
operational functions developed in each
department of the company, so that previ-
ously determined organizational objectives
can be achieved. Mozota (2002) points
out that design management communi-
cates the values and philosophy of the
company to the environment in which it
operates. Consistent corporate design will
lead to discursive cohesion, ease in iden-
tifying a company’s message and, thus,
memorization and behavioral exchange.
Gimeno (2000) stresses
the importance of design for companies
by highlighting its role in competitive-
ness. Mozota et al. (2011) emphasizes
that design management can and should
participate in the formulation and selec-
tion of strategies and must commit itself
to implanting the spirit of design in a
company’s objectives. The mission of de-
sign management is to make a company’s
strategy visible in order to affect compre-
hensive performance.
Best (2009) points out
that within organizations design manage-
ment is present in the work of brand
communication, in product and service
development, in the organization of busi-
ness environments and in the company’s
marketing strategies. Regarding the exter-
nal environment, design can provide an-
swers for increasing pressure to abide by
government regulations and can transform
both attitudes and local and global re-
source management.
Chiva and Alegre’s (2009)
study on the relationship between design
and business performance highlighted de-
sign’s positive effects on company perfor-
mance and the dividends accrued from
investing in it. Of course, design does not
emerge by chance; it is the result of a
managed processes that require certain
skills consistent with best management prac-
tices for organizational competitiveness.
Fraser (2012) claims that
the use of design in business will create
competitive advantage inasmuch as three
factors are simultaneously engaged: a) ef-
fective and tireless dedication in customer
service, b) the continuous expansion of
possibilities, and c) a flow of experiments
and expansion initiatives to maintain the
organization’s strategic course. She goes
on to state that the application of design
in the management environment of orga-
nizations is a platform for innovation and
business growth, because it helps clearly
define how to converge efforts and effec-
tively stimulate a new vision, applying
the same ingenuity and rigor used to find
an innovative solution.
Therefore, the precepts
of design and management can converge
to foster more precise conditions for
81
decision making, structural improvement
and innovation, and for operational imple-
mentation, all of which can spawn com-
petitive advantage.
Competitive Advantage
Since the emergence of
the first business organizations, one of the
main objectives of managers has been to
gain and maintain target clients while
keeping the enterprise competitive in the
market. However, it is very difficult to
gauge the elements necessary for organi-
zational success, since the factors that
trigger competitiveness are constantly
changing. Machado-da-Silva and Barbosa
(2002) observe, from a technical point of
view, that organizational competitiveness
is linked to the acquisition, maintenance
and use of appropriate resources to
achieve the economic and technical-opera-
tional indicators valued and interpreted as
expressions of competence and competi-
tiveness. Competitiveness, in this context,
is assessed by means of quantitative indi-
cators of quality, productivity, efficiency
and economic performance.
Competitiveness is some-
thing that goes beyond operational effi-
ciency. Measured by quantitative means
according to logical factors, strategies for
each organization are formulated in ac-
cordance with the organization’s situa-
tion, culture, goals and environment. The
ability to share activities in the value
chain is the basis for business competi-
tiveness, because sharing highlights the
competitive advantage by increasing dif-
ferentiation (Porter, 2009). However, Kim
and Maubogne (2005) claim that there is
no such thing as permanent organization-
al excellence and emphasize the impor-
tance of building high degrees of trust
and commitment through the constant
practice of intellectual and emotional rec-
ognition, which plays a key role in strat-
egy development. By contrast, Senge
(2009), stated categorically that success-
ful future businesses will be the ones
that discover ways of fostering employee
commitment and learning capacity at all
organizational levels.
To achieve such success,
cohesive strategies are necessary. Strate-
gies that stem from management practices
that ensure effectiveness in market activi-
ties, as well as from the management of
resources and processes that make up the
organizational modus operandi, whether
tactical or operational (Porter, 2009). A
strategy is a long-term direction that ac-
quires advantages in a turbulent environ-
ment by conforming resources and com-
petences to meet stakeholder expectations
(Johnson et al., 2011).
82
Organizational competi-
tion, therefore, does not consist of eco-
nomic factors alone. The features neces-
sary for competition are not only technical
but also institutional. Organizations must
conform to technical standards, but they
are also pressed by other organizations
and society in general to meet socially ac-
cepted standards of conduct. Such pres-
sure requires symbolic components, as is
a reputation for efficiency, prestige and
socially legitimized conduct (Machado-
Da-Silva and Barbosa, 2002).
Developing and main-
taining competitive advantage requires
continuous effort and intelligence since com-
panies need continuous innovation, opti-
mization, articulation and adaption to the
requirements and provisions of the market
and society in general. As Carvalho and
Laurindo (2012) point out, although iden-
tifying the skills required for creating
competitive advantages in an ever-chang-
ing market is complicated, nevertheless,
the ability to exploit their potential and to
develop them consistently, can be decisive
for a successful positioning in the compet-
itive scenario.
While much can be said
about competitiveness, what is clear is
that for businesses it is achieved through
the accumulation of strategic competitive-
ness. According to Charam (2013), it is
crucial to develop a new vision of the
world that is keenly aware of how forces
that seem related to one’s business could
interact and combine to create opportuni-
ties or threats.
Porter (2009) points out
that competitive advantage is related to
corporate organization in that it consists
of a set of activities whose objective is
to create, produce, market, deliver and
support company products. The construc-
tion of competitive advantages is, there-
fore, the accuracy and dynamism of the
processes of analysis and
decision making in orga-
nizations. Thus, models
that facilitate analysis of
the decision-making pro-
cess are important tools
for achieving performan-
ce expectations.
The CDS Model
The management and
operationalization of vari-
ous design aspects in the
different areas of a com-
pany is a necessary con-
dition for the develop-
ment of competitive ad-
vantage. However, com- Figure 1. Overview of the CDS model and its indicators (generic
petitive advantage is not case). Source: Data from NGD - Design Management Center.
solely a result of the possession of com-
petitive resources or market power in an
industrial structure; rather, it stems from
the value created by connecting the exter-
nal and internal environments. This posi-
tioning defines a company’s relationships
and its power asymmetries, positioning
and information.
In the design of strate-
gies, whether deliberate or emergent,
knowledge of the company’s business, its
features and its institutional and operatio-
nal environments is crucial (Carvalho and Laurin-
do, 2012). This knowledge is generated
through management activities, which re-
quire systemic vision of the economic and
social context, especially of the industrial
sector in which the company operates
(Mintzberg, 2010).
According to Bahiana
(1998), investment in organizational de-
sign has shifted from a matter of aesthet-
ics to one of strategy. He explains that
when companies adhere to the assump-
tions of design management, they adopt
techniques that increase the quality and
differentiation of their products, as well as
streamline production costs.
Merino et al. (2012)
show that the role of design manage-
ment is to provide effective design solu-
tions skillfully and at an appropriate
cost through a wide range of capacities.
Due to the need for coordinating and ar-
ticulating corporate resources, these au-
thors developed the CDS (competitive-
ness-differentiation-sustainability) meth-
odology as a diagnostic tool for focus-
ing on the three strategic dimensions
represented in its name. The application
of this tool yields a set of indicators
that enable a quantitative and qualitative
performance assessment for each related
or correlated item that the method en-
compasses. Figure 1 provides an over-
view of the methodology.
FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2
 According to this model, ket, the decision-making process regard- Menezes, 2005). Applied research has sit-
the strategies, operations and activities ing strategies, projects and actions be- uational characteristics because it seeks to
within the scope of these three dimensions comes more consistent. This is due to the diagnose specific problems in specific situa-
give an organization its competitive ad- fact that the process becomes based on tions in order to achieve practical results.
vantage. Diagnosing these areas is, there- the metrics outlined in each of the three This type of research is being established
fore, fundamental to design management, dimensions, which are decisive in organi- as a means of intervention and develop-
since it prioritizes the global visualization zational management. ment in groups of organizations and com-
of performance indicators and leads to the munities (Gil, 2010).
definition of actions that either maintain Methodology The goal of the present
or improve performance levels. study, which can also be classified as ex-
Manzini (2008) stressed This study should be ploratory research, is to provide a larger
that ‘competitiveness’ is the result of of- considered applied research, since it aims set of information regarding the object of
fering a product or service at a lower cost to develop knowledge for the solution of study (Prodanov, 2013), given that greater
than the competition or supplying prod- specific problems and involves both ge- knowledge about the problem in view will
ucts or services that are identified by buy- neral truths and local interests (Silva and better clarify it (Gil, 2010). Moreover, the
ers as different, and thus of superior val-
ue, to those of the competition. However,
according to Neves and Castro (2003),
‘differentiation’ is due to attributes that
stand out from the competition, including
visual appearance, quality, taste, durabili-
ty, style, service, competence, politeness,
credibility, etc. ‘Sustainability’ involves a
systemic approach encompassing environ-
mental, social and economic perspectives,
since, in short, sustainable development
and social development cannot be separat-
ed (Merino et al., 2012).
In order to operationalize
these three dimensions of analysis, it is
necessary to identify and determine the
relevant indicators belonging to each one.
The inclusion of indicators in this model
is important because they facilitate the de-
cision-making process by revealing infor-
mation (either qualitative or quantitative).
Such information then serves as a basis
for managers to define actions toward
achieving their goals. The same number
of indicators should be used for all di-
mensions so that the derived means will
be of equal weight.
The indicators are mea-
sured using a Likert scale from 1 to 5. In
this scale, 1 represents a negative impact or
weakness, 3 is neutral and 5 implies poten-
tial, being indicated by red, yellow and
green colors, respectively, or by gray
shades; 2 and 4 are intermediate values in-
dicated by orange and light green colors, or
intermediate shades. The scale is represented
by shades of gray in the insets of Figure 2.
After the measures are ap-
plied, a color (or shade), will be incorporat-
ed into each indicator according to the re-
sults, and each dimension will assume a
color (or shade) in response to the mean re-
sults of the indicators. The combination of
visual elements (dimensions, indicators and,
colors or shades) is important in the CDS
model since it facilitates a faster and more
cohesive decision-making process, clarifying
the situation of the overall framework.
By analyzing a compa-
ny’s current conditions and prospects
with respect to its business and its mar- Figure 2. Result of the application of the CDS model.

FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2 83

procedures involved in this research clas-
sify it as a case study. According to Yin
(2001), a case study is an investigation
that retains holistic and relevant character-
istics of real life, dealing with a contem-
porary phenomenon in its real life con-
text. Its value consists in providing thor-
ough knowledge of a narrowly-framed re-
ality, and its results allow hypotheses for
future research (Triviños, 1987).
The present case study
describes aspects of the use of the CDS
Model in a retail company operating lo-
cated in greater Florianopolis, in Southern
Brazil. The company consists of a net-
work of eight stores that sell coffee and
baked goods. The study was developed
according to the plan shown in Table I.
Field data were collected
in the second half of 2014 through inter-
views and through systematic and unsys-
tematic observation. The interviews were
conducted with company managers and
supervisors, i.e. the company’s executive
team. The information was compiled in a
participatory and dialogic manner with all
the participants and was gathered as the
steps of the CDS Model unfolded. The
data were treated as descriptive and ana-
lytical; the information was compiled and
categorized, and was then compared with
the theoretical basis upon which the mod-
el had been built.
Case Study
The company observed
in this study emerged when a failing cof-
fee shop in a mall located in the suburb
of São José, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina,
Brazil, was offered to its current owner.
Working directly with the public was a
new experience to the entrepreneur, who
accepted the challenge to manage and de-
velop the business.
Subsequently, by invest-
ing in emerging opportunities, other stores
were gradually developed, resulting in the
current eight points of sale in the metro-
politan region. The continued growth
turned what had been intended as a hobby
into the entrepreneur’s main business.
According to its mission statement, the
company seeks to satisfy its customers by
providing a pleasant, cozy atmosphere
featuring quality products.
The eight points of sale
are distributed in three business groups: a)
a coffee shop, the largest single unit,
which is located in a major gastronomic
neighborhood; b) coffee kiosks: smaller
structures located in malls and hypermar-
kets; and c) a risotto restaurant, a single
point of sale in a mall.
The design management
project developed with this company con-
sisted of three different interconnected
stages: a) initial contact and familiariza-
tion; b) implementation of the CDS mod-
el; and c) based on the CDS results, a
proposal of strategic and operational
actions.
The first step was famil-
iarization with the people involved in the
project, which consisted of learning about
the history of the company, the manage-
ment structure and decision-making pro-
cess, the flow of operations and on-the-
spot verification of the environments and
daily operations of each of the stores.
After familiarization with
the enterprise, the next step was to apply
the CDS model in order to diagnose its
competitiveness, differentiation and sus-
tainability. When structuring the model,
three indicators were defined per dimen-
sion. The indicators for competitiveness
were market, production and price. The
indicators for differentiation were image,
products and quality; the indicators for
sustainability were economic, social and
environmental.
The indicators were eva-
luated through an interview involving a
structured questionnaire (closed ques-
tions). The items were validated with the
Likert scale, according to the model’s pre-
viously presented assumptions. The data
were tabulated in a spreadsheet and, after
the mean values for each indicator had
been determined, the data were plotted in
the color or in the corresponding shade
for each dimension of the model. The re-
sults are summarized in Figure 2.
Greater positive fluctua-
tion is shown in the competitiveness di-
mension, which indicates a favorable situ-
ation for the company. The scenario is
more fragile, however, in the differentia-
tion dimension. Here the scale tends to-
ward the intermediate, which indicates a
larger number of vulnerabilities. Thus, dif-
ferentiation is an area where a significant
range of actions should be planned and
implemented. Figure 3 shows a summary
of the proposals developed, which are di-
rected, first, toward improving the quality
of products and processes and, second,
improving the company’s image, informa-
tion and identification.
The sustainability dimen-
sion, however, was the most critical, re-
vealing a greater degree of fragility, pri-
marily regarding the social sustainability
indicator. Figure 4 shows the summary of
the actions defined for this dimension.
The work sequence was
based on this map of actions. Standar-
dizations were introduced in the context

Task
Definition of the subject of the study
Delimitation of the research topic
Identification of Problem
Definition of the objective of the study
Defnition of research methodology
Knowledge of the reality of the company - Case Study
Application of the CDS Model
Analysis of results
Completion of the study
TABLE I
RESEARCH PLAN
Design
Design Management
Design Management, business diagnostics and performance improvement
How can design managementhelp define strategies and actions to improve the per-
formance levels of a company?
Identify and evaluate indicators of management and operations in a service company,
and propose a set of actions that improve the performance levels of the organization
Applied research, exploratory research, case study
Visit, familiarization and learning about the reality of the company that has served
as a trial for the purposes of the study
Interviews, observations, and collection of data and information in accordance
with the precepts of the CDS Model
Compilation and situational analysis of the company in accordance with the pre-
cepts of the CDS Model
Presentation of the findings of the study to the owners/managers of the company

84 FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2

of managerial and operational processes.
Actions were emphasized for improving
the image, information and identification
of products, since consumer satisfaction
is strongly associated with the perception
of products and services. The organiza-
tional architecture was further developed,
emphasizing the need for greater clarity
about the hierarchy and activity flow
charts for each unit.
In the sustainability di-
mension, where the worst performance
was observed, emphasis was placed on
practical actions to correctly dispose of
company waste, thus improving the en-
vironmental sustainability indicator.
Regarding the social sustainability indi-
cator, attention was focused on better
staff training to begin immediately upon Figure 3. Actions defined on the basis of applying the CDS model= indicator of differentiation.
hiring. The result was the creation of a
Staff Training Program whose basics are
shown in Figure 5.
The results indicate that
the CDS model is effective for broader
management work, incorporating dimen-
sional indicators that are crucial for the
construction of competitive advantage.
This perception is consistent with
Gimeno’s (2000) statement that design
management is a set of techniques for
organizational management which maxi-
mizes a company’s competitiveness by
employing design as a tool for business
strategy at the lowest possible cost.

Final Remarks

The greatest challenge

for organizations in today’s market is to Figure 4. Actions defined on the basis of applying the CDS model= indicator of sustainability.
remain competitive with strong founda-
tions capable of sustaining the necessary
changes. Design management should be
considered a reference for companies,
since it contributes to competitive differ-
entiation. As a result of its use, organiza-
tions develop a comprehensive business
vision rather than a product-oriented vi-
sion. Design management works as a set
of guidelines to align an organization’s ef-
forts with the strategies required to reach
its objectives.
Design management rep-
resents a strategic approach to company
management. Thinking about design be-
yond product appearance and functionality
means using design assumptions, tools
and techniques to develop and implement
competitive strategies, so as to ensure cor-
porate sustainability in today’s turbulent
social and economic scenario.
The functionality of de-
sign management was demonstrated in
this study, in its precisely identified and
applied means of creating competitive
advantage in a small chain of coffee
shops. A broad situational diagnosis of Figure 5. Staff training program.

FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2 85

the company was produced using the
CDS method, including information in-
dicators regarding market, production,
price, image, products and quality, as
well as social, environmental and eco-
nomic sustainability.
Based on the data col-
lected in the diagnosis, a portfolio was
defined with strategic actions that can
increase the company’s competitive ad-
vantages. For the team of researchers,
the study was valuable in that a theoret-
ical model developed in an academic
context was put into practice. It is rea-
sonable to expect that design manage-
ment can make a real contribution to
the strategic management of companies
because, according to Mozota (2002), it
identifies and communicates paths by
which strategic value can be added to
companies. In other words, design man-
agement unveils the mechanics of de-
sign for companies so that they can bet-
ter develop their own strategies at oper-
ational and tactical levels.
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Best K (2009) Gestão de Design: Gerir a Estraté-
gia, os Processos e a Implementação do
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FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2
GESTIÓN DEL DISEÑO: APLICACIÓN DEL MODELO CDS PARA DIAGNÓSTICO DE NEGOCIOS
Y LA CREACIÓN DE VENTAJAS COMPETITIVAS
Eugenio Andrés Díaz Merino, Giselle Schmidt Alves Díaz Merino y Adriano Wagner
RESUMEN

Este artículo presenta un estudio sobre el uso de una he-
rramienta de análisis y diagnóstico de negocio, estructurada
en los preceptos de la gestión del diseño, denominado Modelo
CDS (competitividad-diferenciación-sostenibilidad). El objetivo
fue identificar y evaluar los indicadores de gestión y de ope-
raciones en una empresa del sector comercial, que opera en el
sector de café, dulce y salado. La aplicación de la herramienta
resulto en un diagnóstico situacional y propone acciones estra-
tégicas y operacionales que pueden contribuir en la mejoría del
desempeño de la empresa junto al actual mercado competitivo.
La investigación se caracteriza como aplicada, exploratoria y
estudio de caso. Las informaciones fueron recogidas por me-
dio de entrevistas y observaciones sistemáticas y asistemáticas.
La investigación permitió identificar las fuerzas y vulnerabili-
dades de la empresa estudiada. Con base en ellas fue posible
proponer una serie de acciones estratégicas con la finalidad de
mejorar sus índices de competitividad, diferenciación y sosteni-
bilidad.

GESTÃO DE DESENHO: APLICAÇÃO DO MODELO CDS PARA DIAGNÓSTICO DE NEGÓCIOS

E A CREAÇÃO DE VENTAGEM COMPETITIVA
Eugenio Andrés Díaz Merino, Giselle Schmidt Alves Díaz Merino e Adriano Wagner
RESUMO

Este artigo apresenta um estudo sobre a utilização da fer-
ramenta de análise e diagnóstico empresarial, estruturada nos
preceitos da gestão de desenho, denominada Modelo CDS (com-
petitividade-diferenciação-sustentabilidade). O objetivo foi iden-
tificar e avaliar indicadores de gestão e operações em uma em-
presa do ramo comercial, que atua no negócio de cafés, doces
e salgados. A aplicação da ferramenta possibilitou a geração
de um diagnóstico situacional que embasou a proposição de
ações estratégicas e operacionais que podem contribuir para a
melhoria do desempenho da empresa frente ao competitivo mer-
cado de atuação. O trabalho caracteriza-se com pesquisa apli-
cada, pesquisa exploratória e estudo de caso. As informações
foram geradas e coletadas por meio de entrevista e observação
sistemática e assistemática. O estudo permitiu identificar pon-
tos positivos e vulneráveis da empresa estudada. Com base nas
informações foi possível construir um portfólio de ações estra-
tégicas para que a empresa construa melhores índices de com-
petitividade, diferenciação e sustentabilidade.

FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 42 Nº 2 87